Davies set to lodge complaint

Gloucester are set to seek sanctions against at least one Mont-de-Marsan player after their ugly Amlin Challenge Cup opener in France on Thursday night.

Gloucester's former England flanker Andy Hazell was sent off in the 55th minute for punching an opposing player. Video footage also showed Hazell aiming his knee at the player's head and the 34-year old will now face a disciplinary hearing, but Gloucester boss Nigel Davies has already confirmed the Aviva Premiership club's stance.

Davies told the Gloucester Citizen that Hazell's eye was "severely sore and very red".

"We'll speak to the citing commissioner, and there will be something done there," Davies said.

"We can't condone what was done from a Gloucester view, but that was a reaction to what went on before.

"We will take our punishment, but I think they (Mont-de-Marsan) need to take their punishment too.

"We'll look at the video, and from what I've seen already I'm sure we will make a complaint. The doctor's had a look at Andy's eye. It was severely sore and very red.

"And we took some pictures of that, because that was damning evidence in its own right.

"He's disappointed with himself, but I think there were three incidents before that with the same player and he's caught him off the ball again, and unfortunately Andy snapped."

Gloucester resume their Challenge Cup campaign against another French club - Bordeaux-Begles - at Kingsholm next Thursday night.